A cooperation protocol was signed between our university and Elazığ Special Provincial Administration General Secretariat.
The protocol was signed by Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Göktaş, Rector of our University, and Cemil Yatkın, Secretary General of the Special Provincial Administration.
With the signed protocol; quality control of building materials used in village and hamlet roads was based on a scientific basis. Thus, an infrastructure standard based on durability and longevity was adopted in road construction works carried out throughout the region.
Within the scope of the protocol, tests and conformity tests on bitumen types used in bituminous hot mix (BSK) and surface coating applications, sub-base and foundation materials and construction elements such as gravel will be carried out by Fırat University Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Transportation. Many processes from compaction tests to material characterizations will be carried out in accordance with the relevant engineering criteria. This technical protocol is a strategic continuation of the infrastructure modernization process initiated by Elazığ Special Provincial Special Administration in 2024; it brings a new dimension to the sustainable public investment approach by moving the scope of existing collaborations from the field to the laboratory.
Commenting on the process, Cemil Yatkın, Secretary General of Elazığ Special Provincial Administration, said, “Thanks to this cooperation, we scientifically test the quality of the materials used on our roads. Thus, we ensure that our citizens living in rural areas meet with safer and more durable roads and use our resources more efficiently.”
Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Göktaş, Rector of our University, emphasized that the university serves both academic research and social benefit by contributing to infrastructure projects. This process, which is ostensibly shaped as a university cooperation, reflects the projection of an institutional vision to strengthen the long-term investment planning, effective resource management and project-based technical supervision capacity of Elazığ Special Provincial Administration. The protocol constitutes an up-to-date example of local governments transforming public services with scientific methods based on both technical transparency and resource efficiency. Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Yılmaz and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Dr. Ebru Akpınar were also present at the protocol signing ceremony.